Smoke-indicator.



T. W. MuNEILL & I. J. BABGOCK.

SMOKE INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.23.1911,

1,012,403, Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

T. W. MGNEILL 5: I. J. BABGOCK.

SMOKE INDICATOR.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN.23,1911.

1,012,403, Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2,

In enfirg zomas ZWJ7Z and Ira BaZc'acA HI Oral-115,3-

perspective details illustratln UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

THOMAS W. MONEILL AND IRA J. BABCOCK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SMOKE-INDICATOR.

To all whom it-my conceim:

Be it known that we, THOMAS W. Mo- NEILL and IRA J; BABCOCK, citizens of the United States, all residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Smoke-Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to "improvements in smoke indicators, and has among its general objects to provide an apparatus for association with a smoke eduction passage to enable-its user 'to observe the relative transparency or opacity existent within said passage, such apparatus being simple in construction, easily adaptable for convenient location of its parts, and readily maintainable in ellieient working condition.

In the drawings, wherein we have illustrated the embodiment of our invention, Figure-1 is a vertical cross section showing the application of a simple structure embodying the invention, as where the observation point is closely contiguous to the smoke flue; Fig. 2 indicates a form of structure. employed where the observation point is remote from and non-ali'ning with the smoke flue from which the indication is taken; Fig. 3 is a detail of one of the parts of the apparatus; Fig. 4 isa horizontal section showing an application of the invention to a horizontal elbow in the smokeeduction passage; and Fi s. 5 and 6 are the construction of the device illustrated in Fig.- 2.

Referring to the construction illustrated in Fig. 1, 10 indicates a fragment of a smoke fluewhich may be specifically a smoke stack, breechin or other a duct through which the pro ucts of combustion from the fuel burner pass.

11 and 12 indicate apertures in the flue axially alining in such relation, that the escaping products of combustion must pass therebetween.

13 indicates a tube coaxial with the opening 11, and secured to flue 10, said tube inclosing a suitable source of light, herein shown as an electric incandescent lamp 14 located at a convenient distance, say about 1112 inches from the opening 11 to the smoke The aperture 12 is exteriorly surrounded by a tube 15, attached to the flue 10, and extending to the observation point, said tube being closed at its extremity by a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 23, 1911.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

Serial No. 604,076.

screen 16 of ground glass or like translucent material, which is exteriorly surrounded by an open-ended hood 17. Thus, in general, it will be seen that light from the source of light 14 may pass through the light tube, crossing the smoke flue, and illuminating the screen 16, which is shaded by the hood 17 from the effect of extraneous 1i ht. Thus, an observer watching the spot 0 light on the screen or plate 16 may determlne by the brilliancy of its illumination whether or not the smoke passage is clear, for obviously the passage of smoke through the flue 10 will obscure the light and decrease the illumination of the screen 16.

In providing a simple and efiicient commercial construction, we mount the incandescent lamp 14 in a reflector 18, of suitable shape to direct the light rays in approximately parallel lines for concentration of the illumination. Any suitable source of light, producing substantially uniform illumination may, of course, be employed, with a reflector adapted to the light producer employed. The reflector member has an extension 19, pivoted as at 20, to a plate 21, carried by a thimble 22, partially telescoping in the tube 13. The thimble 22 has made therein a series of apertures 23 and the apertured zone of said thimble is overlaid by a sliding band damper 24, having therein similar apertures 25, so that by rotative adjustment of said band the open or effective area of said apertures 23 may be adjusted, thus to permit the entry of just enough air, under the inductive influence of the chimney draft, to keep the tube 13 always clear from accumulation of opaque matter which might tend to clog it and dim the reflector or lamp. The pivoting of the reflector member, however, enables the reflector easily to be swung to open position for cleansing, and also-opening the end of the pipe so that it may readily be cleared of foreign substances that may have lodged therein notwithstanding the draft. A simple spring latch 26 is preferably provided normally to retain the reflector structure in'closed position.

The ground glass screen is preferably mounted in a holder 30, provided with cars 31 pivoted to a pin 32, carried by a head plate 33, which 1s attached to the thimble 34, partly telescoping in tube 15, and provided with apertures 23', and a damper structure 24 exactly as is the thimble 22, heretofore described. To the pivot pin 32 is also pivotally secured a hood plate 35, having an aperture 36 therein to expose the screen 16, said plate carrying the hood'17,

secured to its exterior face. Thus, as seen in Fig. 5, the independent hinging of the plate carrier 30 and the hood carrier 35 enables all the parts of the device to be easily gotten at for cleaning, althoufgh the provision of the regulable dra t apertures minimizes the necessity of such operation as heretofore described. The hinged parts are normally held in closed position by a latch 26', and all arts [are permanently hinged together so that danger of breakage of glass is minimized.

The construction illustrated in Fig. 4 ma be identical with that heretofore described, but it will be apparent from said Fig. 4, that in some instances the indicator tube members may be both on the same side of the smoke flue, although the indicator tubes must be so arranged that the products of combustion pass between the two members thereofin effecting esca e.

In many installations it is highly desirable that the observations be taken at a station relatively remote from the point on the smoke flue where the condition is to be indicated, and in many instances it is impossible to employ straight pipingg to conduct the light to the point of observation. Obviously, the light conducting tube may take as many bends as desired or necessary if suitable mirrors or reflectors be provided for transmitting the light rays always in substantially parallelism with the axis of,

the tube, and therefore our invention contemplates the use of such mirrors as indicated in Fig. 2. It is important, however, that the mirrors be so constructed and arranged as to be susceptible of ready cleansing, so as to maintain the eflicienc of the apparatus and also that provision e made against undue accumulation of foreign substances in proximity to such mirrors. Therefore, as indicated in Fig. 2, each mirror 40is mounted in a frame 41, having cars 42 for pivotal attachment as at 43 to a suitable portion of an elbow structure 44, the

thimble 45 nearest the smoke flue of each such elbow structure being provided with draft apertures 23" and a damper structure 24' ,'substantially like the arran ement described with reference to the thim 1e 22. Thus in cleaning a mirror it is not detached from its support, and danger of breakage is practically eliminated.

Our invention has eat utility in en-' abling the operator havlng charge of a fuel burner accuratel to determine at all times the precise pon ition existing within the smoke eductlon passage of his burner, as only by constant observation of such condithe art that numerous changes in the details" of construction might be made without departure from the spirit of our invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is: 1. The combination with a smoke flue provided with o enings between which the products of com ustion pass, of tubes communicating with and open to the interior of the flue through said openings and axially alining with each other, lighting means for uniform illumination arranged within one of said tubes, a light receptlve surface near the end of the other tube, and means for admitting air into each of said tubes between its ends. 2. In a smoke indicator, the combination with a flue having alining openings therein separated by the smoke path, two separate tubes in open communication with said openings arranged in axial alinement with their axes intersecting the axis of the smoke flue, a closure for the extremityof each of said tubes, lightin means for uniform illumination arrang' within one of said tubes adjacent its end, said tube having between the source of light and the openlng to the flue air entrance 0 enings through which air may be entraine into the tube and into the smoke flue.

3. In a smoke indicator, the cbmbination with a flue having alining openings therein a separated by the smoke path, tubes communicating with said opening, a source of light associated with one of said tubes, a lightreceptive surface associated with the other said tube, and means for admitti regulable quantities of air in one of sai tubes.

4. The combination with a smoke flue, of

a' source of llght, atube opening into the flue and operatively assoclated with said source of light, .a second tube opening to the flue in almement with the first, said tube having openings for the introduction of air, and a light receptive surface operatively associated with said tubes. beyond said openin 5. In com ination with a smoke flue, hav-' ing allnmg openings in its walls, tubes com-- municating with said openings, 9. source of light and a light-receptive surface operatively associated with opposite extremities of said tubes, one of said tubes having open- M [a More ings through its walls for admission of air, and damper means associated with said openings for regulating the efi'ective area thereof.

6. In a smoke indicator, the combination with a smoke flue having alining openings in its walls, light directing tubes oppositely communicating with said openings, a source of light at the extremity of one 0f said tubes, and a light-reflector hinged to said tube, said tube having between the reflector and the smoke flue, openings for the admission of air.

7. An observation structure of a smoke indicator comprising a thimble for attach-- ment to a tube, a plate, transversely connected therewith, a screen member pivoted to said plate, a second plate member pivoted to the first plate member, and :a hood carried by the second plate member.

8. A light deflecting structure for a smoke indicator, comprising an elbow having two thimbles for connection with tubes, said thimbles being arranged with their axes at an angle to each other, a reflector hinged to said elbow for movement to open or hands.

close a wall of said elbow, said reflector when closed standing in a plane at ri ht reflector 1n predetermined adjustment to said tubeand to permit access to be had to said tube, lamp,

ment, comprlsin a thimble having connection with the en of the tube, a plate carried by the end of the thimble, and positive hinge connectionsbetween said plate and the reflector.

In testimony whereof we hereunto set our THOMAS W. MoNEILL. IRA J. BABCOCK.

In the presence of- Geo. T. MAY, Jr.,

W.LINN ALLEN.

and reflector without loosen-l ing of the parts or change of said adjust- 

